The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-01-29
"REMINISCENCES
OF SOME WEST v1na.1N1ANs.
Colonel Ward Lnmon aud his Alleged Feud
With tho Lats Charles jamos Faux.
ner-Colonei Alex. Cainpbcips n NJ
~ Little Political Joke.
Special Correspondence Of The fnltlligenetr.

oPtetut tUVsPoNufNCeV " INC lWettlyeHctr.
WAaniSaros, D. o., Jan. 3z.-The port
ly figure OF Colonel Ward Lamon, former
ly Of MnrtinHburg, W. Va, and who durinl
tho war was Marshal OF the District ant
Llncoln's confident friend and biographer
is once more familiar about the hosela O
Washington. There is no moro popula
man among Washington people than Col
Lamon, and many social demands arc bs
ing made upon him. He Is said to b,
very wealthy now, and receives enormou,
fees for his legal services. Within the
past two or three months the colonel re-.
ceived the largest legal fee ever paid I'd
an American lawyer. 1t was the sum oil
$3.50, 900, and was for q service that most
any ordianry lawyer could have perform,
ed. The great sum involved in the mat.
ter at issue justified the payment Of the
fee, however. ~ l'--s-E
Very little mention had been made oil
COL. Lamon for three or four years, and
the public was beginning to lose Sigh. oi
him. Now that his name. has again been
brought Into prominence through the
medium Of q big legal Zee, tho newspap pert
are treating him with great consideration,
md he Is receiving an immense amount ol
advertising. Many interesting remin.
sences OF him are published hors. West
Virginians are amused over one that has
recently appeared in Washing. ton paper,
and copied In several State papers. II
does not contain word Of truth. It gives
an account OF Col. Lannon's connection
with the famous Taliaferro outrage case
at Martlnsburg, and represents him aa
having achieved a great legal victory in
clearing Tatiaierro by brilliant man.
ouyre, the details Of which are given,
Judge Hoge, who wss on the bench ut the
time, tolls me there Ia no truth whatever
in the story, beyond the mere statement
that Col. Lamon defended the criminal.
LAMoN.yAULKNEn rEuD. q
The article referred to represspts that q
bitter ieud existed batween the late
Charles Janeo Faulkner and Col. Lsmon,
on account OF "some calumnies Mr.,
Mr.. Faulkner had circulated during d
political canvass" and that while the
Colonel was practiciug law in Martins.
burg, in! partnership with Judge Black.
burn, he seized every opportunity to IN,
tagonize Mr.. Faulkner in court. "When.
ever be heard that any case on the docket
was going to be argued by n jFnulkner;' y
says the newspaper, she offered his ser.
vices TO the other side without stipulation
as to the compensation. He fought
throughout the combat, too, With all the
eaynestness Of man who had largo fss
in view, when he gained "a victory
which was generally the case-he would
not accept anything from his client, and
even did something 10 the treating line I'd
celebrate the event." f4l'G -}GSt 4
The fact is thst COLONEL Lamon and Mr.
Faulkner were, during this time, the best
OF friends. There was never any trouble
between them, and whatever coolness the
two ever felt5oward one another was very
slight, and did not, arise until long afte,
the Taliaferro case had been settled BY the
lynehefs. Z Colonel Lsmon is not. the sorl
OF man to carry his personal aninosity
to the extreme limited at in the story
which is sgoing the rounds OF the papers
Another old West Vireinian, who en-,
ljoys a largo acquaintance among the pub.
Tic men here, and who was in tho city
this week, is Colonel, Alex Campbell, !, o
Brooke county. Colonel Campbell is full
OF political "reminiscences and keeps al
ways on hand q fund Of miscellaneous IN.
ecdotes. Thoss who know him here are
always glad to sec him because they know
they are sure 10 be entertained by his
conversation. H issHtrons Camden man
;s{JG AasAMvslNa ErlsoDa.
Ho reminded me, while here, Of very
amusing episode of the Constitutions
convention at Charleston in. 1872, which
IS not oaly illustrative Of Col. Campbell't
fon3ness for practical joking, but servet
10 chow how Il small spark onn Sc; a whole
State aname when political feeling Ia high
The feeling born OF the war had not en-.
tirely disdo In West Virgins at tha,
time, aud the lines between tho Confed
crate and Union elements in the State
and in political conventions were dra wu
pretty closelyl During the session of thai
memorable CONSTITUTIONAL convention Col
Campbell! Was 8 member Of the Commit.
tse on County Organization, and work in
his committee had become scarce Les,
its members should grow tired OF hayin.
go little to do, Col. Campbell set his Wit
to work to devise a scheme to enliyer
them. He went to Hon. George o. Day
export, who was also a member Of the
convention, and persuaded him TO Intro
duce resolution instructing the Commit
tee on County Organization jtoi inquire
into tho expediency OF changing the
names : Of the counties. OF Llncolr
aud Grant, TO Davis and - Lee
The Colonol's scheme was srcceegfu
beyond his expectations. In fact, the res
oldtion had more than it's desired effect
It not only provoked 8 3bittor partisan dc,
bate in the convention, but created s
furore in the State. The Republican pa
pe1s OF course denounced the resolution
and its supposed author in the strongss,
possible terms, while papers; ioutsiae' d
the State end all through ithe,Nofth made
shirt editorial0. Mr.. Davenport was de-
nounced everywhere as an unreconGtruct
ed rebel, and his Unreasonable act" was tht
talk Of the day. in West Virginia. q;
bore the odium OF the matter with grea,
meekness for some time., At length be
grew tired OF the abuse that was bsinl
heaped upon, him, for he saw he was SO.
curing very uneDviable notoriety, and
felt fearful Of the consequences. He com
municated his fears to Col. Campbell and
complained that the latter had. led him
into the trouble by asking him to intro
duce the reaolution ss a favor to him, The
Colonel conBoled hie friend by telling him
the matter would blow over in the NORTH
when the resolution was defeated; as 4
surely would be, while, on the other hand
the, Southern people would admire ,hiI
courage. Meanwhile, the Colonel and
his: colleagues Of the committee !, were
gravsly! considering the proposition. u All
Of them save the Colonel .reated the mat
ter seriously and gave it careful thought
They argued the matter pro and con
Several Compromise suggestions were Of
fered, one Of which was that in view 81
the peculiar circumstances Of the case 4
might be better to adopt the names oj
Washington and Madison. This would
take the sectional issue out Of the cues
finn and tha vhola thipu oo,id Il, ,nt1 !